Machine for filling and capping bottles and like containers



May 20,1952 G A A 2,597,791

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CAPPING BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 29, 1948 I i 5 Sheets-Sheet l A. GRAHAM-ENQCK 7 2,597,791

May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CAPPING BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS 5- Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1948 2% ar Graham En 004, v jnrenfar,

} 292a llfarnqa A. GRAHAM-ENOCK May 20, 1952 MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CAPPING BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 29, 1948 i 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnu afar, MWSW I ##orwgvs.

May 20, 1952 A. GRAHAM-ENOCK MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CAPPING BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS 5- Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 29 1948 4 ,J. I Z M m I .6 M f M 1 N mm I ms NE E R May 20, 19.52 A. GRAHAM-EN-OCK 2,597,791

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CAPPING BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS v Filed'Sept. 29, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J6 J7 if fi 6 Q by w, 5%

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Patented May 20, 1952 v sm-res *T-AT ENT "OFFICE --MACHINE EOE FILLING AN DJCA'PPING BQTELES-z-AND LIKE GONTA INERS Arthur Graham-Enoch, London, England, assignor tdGrEhani-Enock ManufacturingGom- I pany Limited, London, England ApplicationLSeptember 29, 19428,.SeriaLNoaL778 In"GreatiBritain Octhber' 2411 947 This invention xrfelates to machines for"flllin bottles and like" containers'and more particulargily'rfiilk bottling machines of the ,type incorporata'"rotary' vacuum filling and capping-mecha- "nism.

' An object 'ofthe'invention is to'provide various improvements'inbottle filling and capping machines-of the..'type referred 'to above.

"Accordingto one feature of the present invention "the vacuum producing means, which have usuallytcompriseda separate unit, are mounted upon the same base -or "support which carries the-bottling'and capping mechanism, such base or support preferably being of oval shape in plan.

"According to another feature, the base or supgp'o'rt comprises a plate of substantial thickness providing ari'gid element which is provided with "a sheet metal covering "or top having a depend- ""ing'skirt of substantial depth which encloses the operative mechanism andggearing for "driving *shafts" extending through apertures in the base for 'driving'or controlling the various units sup- 'p'orted'by the base.

"Theseshafts are supported in bearings car- "ried'by brackets or pedestal elementswhich are fiaredat'the bottom toprovide a seating surface which seats upon the base and is bolted thereto bystud bolts.

"According to another feature the various units are "oiledbya; pressure distributionsystem .com-

prising'a series of pipe lineseach having a pump, "said'pumps being actuated 'byrotary cam means, the "pipelines' which convey lubricant to "the Ff'fillingahd capping units being coiled to provide fiexibility'for accommodatingthe adjusting displacement of parts of said units.

.Inthe' accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a, plan of the complete bottling and capping machine showing the various .units all located on the same base;

IFigureZ is an inverted plan showing'va'rious ""d'riving' arrangements which "are suspendedfrom "the base;

Figure 3 "is" a part sectional elevation showing the mounting of the bottling and capping units "and'the' construction of thebase;

"Figure' 4' is a sectionalelevation showing the "mountingofthe cap forming unit and the'main drive;

'Fig. 5'-is a*sectional elevatiorr'of the vacuum "*prcducingmeans and its attachment to the base;

'F'igures 6==and 7*are elevation andplan showing the arrangement for oiling the working parts of the machine 'and 'Figure- 8 is-a section 'oi an oilingpmnp.

which "cXtendupwardly throughiholes l 3 irr'the plate and-sheet and-into tapped blind holes ll-in the jsplayed out part "I 0.

- In carrying "the invention intoeffectaccordin to oneconvenient mode byway of example; the

'base "comprises 'a' metal foundation plate I of oval: shape- -and of substantial 5 thickness, say

a skirt 4 of substantial depth. "T'I-he s'ki'rt ll is strengthened by" a backing *plate la securd to the plate 3" by anglesib. The covering sheet 3 may be secured-to the foundationplate I in-any suitable-way so as to -leave the-'-top'- surface free from obstruction, such as bQIt Dn riVet heads.

At appropriate positions -the--various' unitsof the bottling and capping equipment, stich'as the bottling'unit 6,=cappingunit hand cap forming unit 8; are mounted and secured to th base. For this purpose each unit 6, l and Sis provided with a hollow pedestal or bearing' element' 'ilwhich at its lower-end 'll] issplayedout to' form a seating surface I l whi'ch -seats upon the covering sheet 3 of-thetplate land'is-bolted thereto by studs 12 The, pedestals-9- are provided with-bee5ring bushes l5for the-hollow actuating shafts 16rd the 'units p'which shafts extend downwardly through apertures l'lin'the base; plate l=where they are keyed "'to "appropriate driving gear wheels.

The bottling unit 6 is provided 'with supplementary supporting means-'which'comprise a "'bearing'element 18 carried by'aipair 'Ofspaced bars [5 whichextend across the width of the'base "and'are bolted at their ends to' the fixed portions Za'ofioppositely disposed supportinglegs 2. By

this means thevve'ight or the bottling-unit 6 which" includes a substantial quantityi pf fmi'lk when in operation' is 'notwholly taken'bythe base plate 'I.

The capping .unit? 1 ispartly supported: by a crcsshead I I9 which supports the b'earingLelem'ent 2 0. "The crosshead 'is" suspended" from the plate I by depending posts 2! secured -to"the plateirom beneath the. studs 2 2.

"The" cap forming unit" 3' is "similarly mounted 3 upon the base by a hollow pedestal 24 splayed at the bottom which is secured to the plate by studs 25.

In addition to the bottling unit 6, capping unit I and cap forming unit 8, bottle feeding and transfer wheels 26, 21, 28 and control 85 are also supported from the base by hollow pedestals 29 secured to the base by studs 30 screwed in threaded holes in the splayed lower end of the pedestals. These pedestals 29 are provided with bearing bushes for the shafts for driving the wheels.

The vacuum producing means or fan 3| is mounted upon the base plate I and comprises a ring 32 seated upon the base and secured by stud bolts 33. The ring supports an apertured disc 34 to which the driving motor 35 is hung by studs 36.

At spaced points around the periphery of the ring 32 cover securing lugs 31 are provided which 20 are located in slots in the ring and are secured by the bolts 33. The lugs 31 are of hook shape to engage the beaded ring 38 of the cover 39 to which a conduit 4|] is secured, such conduit being connected to the tank 4| of the bottling unit 6. 5

The peripheries of the ring 32 and cover 39 are spaced to provide an outlet for air into the impeller chamber 42 formed between the ring and cover. An impeller 43 is located in the chamber 42 and is driven by the motor 35.

The driving mechanism for the bottling unit 6,'capping unit I, cap forming unit 8 and the feeding and transfer wheels 26. 21, 28 comprises a motor 41 which drives a worm shaft 45 through belt 46 and pulleys 41, 48. The worm 49 meshes 35 with a worm wheel 50 on the lower end of a shaft 5| which drives the shaft 52 of the cap making unit 8.

The worm gear 49, 50 is located within a box or casing 53 suspended from the base plate I by 40 the bolts 54 and pillars I54 which are screwed to the plate I.

The box 53 is formed in two parts by a horizontal division, the parts being secured together by the bolts 54. 4

The box or casing 53 is sealed and forms a sump for a supply of lubricating oil. In one wall 55 of the casing at the lower part thereof a series of pumps 56 is provided only one of which is shown, the position of the others being indicated by the 5D dot and dash lines 51. Each pump is coupled to a pipe line for conveying lubricant to the part to be lubricated. The wall 55 is concentric with the axis of a rotary cam element 58 which is driven by gearing 59, 60, 6| located within the box 53 55 from a pinion 62 on the lower end of the shaft 5|.

As the cam 58 rotates the pumps 56 are successively operated to force lubricating oil to the appropriate part.

The pumps 56 are adapted to deliver a metered 6O quantity of lubricant but do not cause circulation. Each pump 56 comprises a spring returned reciprocating plunger 63 which on its working stroke opens a non-return valve 64 whereby a quantity of oil is delivered into the pipe line. At 65 each stroke the plunger 63 passes and covers a port 65 open to the oil supply.

The pipe lines to the various parts which include pumps 56 are indicated by the dotted lines W at 85, 86, 81, 88, 89, 90, 9|, 92 and 93.

It will be appreciated that certain parts of the bottling and capping units 6 and 1 have to be displaced vertically according to the size of bottle being filled. Thus the tank 4| with the filling valves have to be vertically adjusted. Such vertical adjustment is eifected by nut and screw mechanism 66, 61 by sprocket and chain gearing 68, 69, 7|], II from sprockets on a shaft I2 driven from an elevating motor 13. These displaceable parts of the units incorporate rotary parts which have to be lubricated and in order to accommodate the displacement the pipe lines 14, 15 to the upper parts of the bottling and capping units 6 and 1 are helically coiled so as to extend and contract and thus accommodate the adjusting displacements.

The shaft 5| has keyed thereon a gear wheel 76 meshing with a gear wheel 11 secured to a gear wheel i8. The gear wheels 11 and 18 are mounted for rotation on a stub shaft 19 depending from the base plate I. From the gear wheel 18 a drive is imparted to the bottling unit 6 by gears 80, 8|, 82, the gear 8| also driving the transfer wheel 21. The feeding wheel 26 is driven by a gear 83 from gear 80. The transfer Wheel 28 is driven by gear 84 from gear 82.

The various units supported by the plate or base includes the vacuum producing unit in addition to the bottling means, capping mechanism, bottle handling mechanism and controlling switch mechanism whereby the whole forms a self-contained equipment all of said units being located within the perimeter of the oval base.

The details of construction and the operation of the various units forms no part of the present invention and accordingly no detailed description of such units is considered necessary.

Iclaim:

1. A bottle filling and capping machine comprising a base, a rotatablevacuum filling mechanism mounted on the base and including a milk tank, a rotatable capping mechanism mounted on the base, means for conveying bottles to the filling mechanism, means for conveying filled bottles from the filling mechanism to the capping mechanism, vacuum producing means mounted upon and above the base and comprising a ring secured on the base, an apertured disc concentric with the ring and secured thereto.

5 a motor suspended from the disc and extending through an aperture in the base, a shaft driven by said motor and extending upwardly through the aperture in the disc, a dished cover located above the ring and forming a chamber therewith, the cover being peripherally spaced from the ring, an impeller located in the chamber and mounted on said shaft, said cover having a sleeve, and a conduit engaging said sleeve and connecting the vacuum producing means with the milk tank.

2. A bottle filling and capping machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein spaced hook lugs are secured to the ring and engage the periphery of the cover.

3. A bottle filling and capping machine of the type described comprising a base supporting the filling and capping units and the vacuum producing unit wherein the base comprises a fiat metal plate of substantial thickness, a thin sheet metal covering the flat plate and extending downwardly from the periphery thereof to form a continuous skirt portion of substantial depth which encloses the operative mechanism for said units, said plates being supported by a plurality of legs secured to said flat plate, said skirt having one or more flush fitting doors giving access to said operating mechanism.

4. A bottle filling and capping machine as claimed in claim 3 having a bottle filling unit, a bottle capping unit, a cap making unit and rotary transfer wheels, said units and wheels being operated by shafts extending through the base and operatively connected to said operative mechanism, said shafts having bearings in pedestals having flared seating surfaces engaging the base and secured to the base from below the base.

5. A bottle filling and capping machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the filling unit is provided with supplementary supporting means comprising spaced bars, the ends of which are secured to a pair of said legs, said bars supporting a bearing member of said unit extending through the base.

6. A bottle filling and capping machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the capping unit is provided with supplementarysupporting means comprising a crosshead suspended beneath the base by end posts depending from the base, said crosshead supporting a bearing member of said unit extending through the base.

'7. A bottle filling and capping machine of the type described wherein the filling and capping units are supported by means incorporating hollow members, said units being adjustable vertically to accommodate difierent sizes of bottles,

means for lubricating said units comprising pumping means located beneath the base, the delivery of the pumping means being connected to pipe lines located within said hollow members and including coiled sections to permit said adjustment.

8. A bottle filling and capping machine of the type described wherein the rotary units of the machine mounted on the base are supported by hollow pedestals, means for lubricating said units comprising pumping means located beneath the base, the delivery of the pumping means being connected to pipe lines extending through said hollow pedestals to the part to be lubricated.

ARTHUR GRAHAM-ENOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Stewart et al Sept. 21, 1943 

